Classy Shak

[Dreamweaver]

I started building the sleeper this evening. (wait yesterday evening since it's now Monday)

I started the day off getting my doors hung, and then I made some big pipes!!!









I'm starting to think that I am going to have to lower the truck from stock, not sure if that would be a good thing with the length though.

At least it should not get high centered on anything at stock height.

-Mike

[Dreamweaver]

Hi All..

Well I got the sleeper built. It measures 12"L (168") x 6"H (84") x 65/8" W (92.75")









I built a mock-up step so that I can get the running boards built as well as the hood.



It's moving right along for now. I need to take a break, or rather I should say I need my wallet to take a break from it for the rest of the year though, with the holiday's here.

-Mike

[Dreamweaver]

Howdy!!!

Well another day gone to modeling. Today I got a lot done. The problem is I am running out of cheap things to do... I almost have all the styrene work done.

I have the hood to finish and then the running boards and rear fenders, but can't do that till I have some suspension..

Well to day I built the whale tail, both boxes, mocked up some fuel tanks out of a paper towel roll and hung them with the stock tank hangers Rick (Rouge) gave me. The funny thing is a paper towel roll is exactly the size I need.. Except to short. I cut it in two and got 5.5" tanks and I need 8" tanks. Or probably some 5" fuel tanks and 3" water tanks.










The light bars I will be making are 1/4" so I built the boxes so they hang 3/8" below the bottom edge of the sleeper.









The boxes are built so that they will be flush with the side of the house...
I was thinking of making them open but I really don't want the un-sightly hinges messing up the view. I will probably cover these with the Parma Chrome.. or I might get them made out of billet. I plan on mounting the switches in the left box so I did not build a back on them.








-Mike

[Dreamweaver]

Howdy..

Well I got the engine stripped, no more of that ugly yellow paint... Travis don't worry man.. the best engines come in yellow, I believe that with all my heart... Well except the ones that come behind the Blue Oval..

I find it amazing at the level of detail Norscott put into this engine. It looks like a real block with no paint on it yet.









The oil pan, valve covers, and exhaust manifold will be chromed. (polished really).



Got to sand the manifold still.


Well I also got the stuff for my fenders and got the inner fender spacers made, I got the fenders cut as far as I could. Now I am at a dead point. I need cross members, a front suspension, and nuts and bolts before I can really do anything else.



-Mike

[Dreamweaver]

Hi Gent's,

Ok well I had to play some more to day.

I decided I did not want to lose any of the details from the engine, like the oil filter ect. But at the same time I wanted, and needed, the engine to be lower in the frame, thus the reason for turning the oil pan.

I accomplished this by notching out the frame, not like some have done where they just notch out for the oil filter. That would not have been enough to get the engine low enough in the frame.

I was not sure it was going to work so rather than screw up my new rails, I used some stock ones that I got from Semi Joe.(Thanks Joe)







I then made the front motor mount like they real things.







This got the motor sitting right where I want it. I just hope it will clear the axle... If anyone with a stock height KH could measure from the bottom of the frame to the top of the axle and let me know what it is, I would appreciate it. I am sitting 1 1/32 from the bottom of the frame to the drain plug, which is the lowest point that could interfere.




NOW FOR SOME REAL DETAIL

Well someone, I think it was Paul, mentioned the detail I was putting into this truck. I made the comment back that he had not seen anything yet..


Well maybe the following will show the level I am going for. I have seen a bunch of pics of these trucks with this engine in it but I have yet to see one with this kind of detail... Oh ya and this is JUST the start. Still to come a Radiator, Air-to-Air cooler with all appropriate plumbing, Engine Fan with fan belt.

Notice that there is now only one turbo.... None of that Acert crap... This is a real C15 polluting, fuel guzzling, hill climbing Kitty Cat....










The detail I plan on putting in here is the main reason why I added the inch to the hood originally, Well that did not work out so I had to set the engine back into the cab a bit.

Judging from the pictures of Semibigrigger's install. I only moved mine back about 1/4 to 3/8 farther back than his. And he was still able to put in that full dashboard and kick panel..

Beside It will give me a place to put some chrome and some light and make it so that you can see the reflection of the back of the motor..

Stay Tuned...

-Mike

[Dreamweaver]

Hi All!!..

I did a little more detail work on the engine today.

I scratch built a fan for it. Mounted it and used a real fan belt.














The blades at the widest are 5/8 so if I did the math right that would be 8.75" so they are just right. Rough measurements leaves me just under 7/8" from fan to end of hood. There should still be enough room for the radiator and air-to-air cooler.



-Mike

[Dreamweaver]

I had a Brain storm, or at least I think I did. Hopefully when I tell ya what it is then it won't end up being a Brain Fart...

I went to a couple sites that were furnished by Steve on another thread. The site had all sorts of servos.

Looking at the sizes and what Nate told me. I found a place to put the servo for the steering that would be completely trick....

BUT I have to ask questions because I have not got a clue at all about the RC part of this...Give me a train and DCC and I can do anything with it.. RC.... Not yet!!

So my first question is.. Can you extend the shaft from the servo to the part that the steering link would connect to?

Here is my idea.. If I can extend the shaft, and with the size of the servos. The best coolest place to put the servo would be Ready for this...

Inside the engine.

The hole for the stand that the engine comes on would be a perfect place to put the thing through. I think just from eye-balling it it should be just slightly forward of the axle.

So will this work, can it be done. I figure I will have to extend the shaft on the servo by about 1/2" max...

Any and all comments and help please...

-Mike